Sewing machine



Dec. 9, 1941. F. A. KUCERA SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q S ms llllllll INVENTOR: f'ranir Hi 71 ucerw,

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 9, 1941. F. A. KUCERA 2,265,605

' SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. v29, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1941- F. A. KUCERA 2,265,505

SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29, 1938 6 Sheets-She et. 3

Frank fiC ifucera,

ATTORNEYS.

F. A. KUCERA SEWING MACHINE Dec. 9, 1941.

s Sheets-Sheet! Filed Jan. 29, 1938 WITNESSES- INVENTOR- KQ W Frank fiiluczra,

B Y W ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 9, 1941.

Y F. A. KUCERA SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR; Frank .55 imam, BY M W MJZ A TTORNEYS.

'Dec. 9, 1941. F, A, KU-CERA 2,265,605

SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29/ 1938 s Sheets-Sheet a FIG. 11

INVENTOR; Frank #1 11 LZCE 771 A TTORN E YS.

Patented Dec. '9, 1941 UNITED STATES SEWING MACHINE Frank Kucera, Chicago, 11]., assignor to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 29, 1938, Serial No. 187,590

This invention relates to sewing machines. More particularly it has reference to sewing machines useful in attaching button stay tape or the like to the body fabrics of garments with a portion of the tape projecting outward beyond The chief aim of my invention is to overcome the above drawbacks which desideratum I attain, as hereinafter more fully disclosed, through provision; in addition to a main feeding element and anopposing presser foot arranged to engage the work at the overlap, of an auxiliary feeding verse. plane taken as indicated by the arrows means including a feeding element in the form of a wheel disposed laterally adjacent the needle with its axis substantially in the plane of the latter, and an opposing resilient non-rotative element for engaging the free projecting portion of the tape, or binding and causing it to be pressed against the periphery of the wheel. Also as subsequently disclosed herein, I provide a. differential feeding element for engaging the body fabric alone inward of 'the overlap and in advance of the 0 main feeding element, and an independentlyyielding presser foot portion tooppose said differential feeding element.

In connection with feeding mechanism having invention to provide means convenient for ready manipulation by the operator of the sewing machine, whereby thefeeding movement of the differential feeding element can be adjusted while the machine is running to insure uniform feeding 0 of the body fabric in respect to the tape.

Another object of my invention is to preclude impartation of excessive movements to the auxiliary feed ng wheel during high speed operation of the sewingmachine. in practice through interposition between said wheel and a rotary clutch actuator therefor, of means whereby shifts of the actuator so small as to be uninfluencd by momentum, are magnified incident to transmission to the wheel so that the 50 feeding effect of the latter is not only positive but accurate in progressing the-tape concurrently with the body fabric.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of 5a! This is especially true in 10 This objective I realize 4 the attached drawings, wherein Fig. I is a view. partly in front elevation and partly in longitudinal section, of a sewing machine embodying the present improvements.

' Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view in plan section taken as indicated by the arrows lI--I[ in Fig. I.

Fig. III is a fragmentary plan section at a lower plane taken as indicated by the arrows III-III in Fig. I.

Fig. IV is a fragmentary detail view in plan showing a portion of the work support of the machine,the throat plate and certain of the feeding elements.

Fig. V is a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows VV in Figs. I and III with portions of the machine frame broken away, and showing more particularly the means whereby the feeding action of the differential feeding element is controlled.

VI-VI in Figs. I, II and III.

Fig. VII is likewise a transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows VII-VII in Figs. I and II, showing more particularly the actuating means for the auxiliary feeding wheel.

Fig. VIII is a fragmentary detail sectional view on a larger scale taken as indicated by the arrows VIII-VIII in Figs. 11 and IX, and showing how the several feeding elements cooperate in progressing the work on the work support; and

Fig. IX is a fragmentary detail view in transe verse section taken as indicated by the arrows IX--IX in Figs. II and VIII. the foregoing attributes, it is afurther aim of my ing a base I surmounted by a horizontal work support 2 which is overreached by a longitudinally extending arm 3 with a head 4 at its free end wherein is guided a vertical bar 5 carrying a needle 6. By suitable means (not illustrated) within the arm 3, the needle bar 5 is reciprocated and the needle 6 thereby moved up and down through a hole 1 in a throat plate 8, see Figs. IV and vm, which is set into an-opening in the work support 2. I Arranged to cooperate with theneedle 8 below the work support-2 is a, looper 9 which is fulcrumed to swing about a stud ill engaging laterally into a rocker sleeve ll, said sleeve being mounted for oscillation about a shaft [2 journaled in upstanding bearing lugs 13 on the base I of the machine. Secured to the rock shaft I2 is an arm I! which, througha strap link I5 is connected to 'an eccentric l 6 on the main drive shaft .ll ofthe machine; After common practice, the

' a presser foot 33 which will be referred drivejs'haft I1 is journaled in bearing lugs I8 (Fig. 111) on the base I and provided at its outer end with a combined hand and belt wheel I9 so that the machine may be operated either manually or by power. By the means just described, needle avoiding movements are imparted to the looper 9 in a well known manner. Projecting from one side of the looper 9 is a ball stud 29 which, through an adjustable link 2 I, is connected to a similar ball stud 22 on an arm 23 extending upwardly from a rock shaft 24 journaled in the base I of the machine. Through rocking movements transmitted to the shaft 24 by suitable means such as disclosed for example in U, S. Patent No. 2,128,120, granted to N. V. Christensen et al. on August '23, 1938 and actuated from the main drive shaft II, loop engaging movements are imparted to the looper 9. As shown in Fig. I,

to a rocker 43 secured to a shaft 45 whereof the ends are journaled in spaced bearings 46 upstanding from the base I of the machine adjacent the rear edge.. The differential feed dog 49, on the other hand, is secured with capacity for vertical adjustment to a head-41 at the front sewing threads T and T' are directed by way of suitable guides and tensions from individual sources of supply (not illustrated) to the needle 6 and the looper 9, respectively.

Like the needle bar 5, the presser bar 25 of the machine is confined to up and down movement in the head 4, its upward movement being resisted by-a leaf spring 26 extending longitudinal- 1y over the arm 3. The spring 26 has its rear end suitably anchored beneath thecap or cover 21 for the column or standard 28 of the machine frame, and its 'front end is clevised to engage over the horizontal flange 29 of a stirrup 39 at the top end of the presser bar ,25. The finger nut shown at 3i serves as a means for regulating the pressure of the spring 26. Afllxed by screws 92 to the bottom end of the presser bar 25 is to again later. 1

Arranged longitudinally of the front of the machine is a folder 35 for stay tape which is gencralLv like the folder disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,884,248, granted to A. S. Riviere on October 25, 1932, in that it merges from flat upright tubular cross section at its receiving end to horizontal U-shaped cross section at its delivery end and in that it is formed with a laterally directed mouth at its delivery end through which the tape emerges longitudinally folded with narrow edge margins thereof retroverted inwardly as at M, M in Fig. IX. The folder is, however,'in this instance, mountedpn an arm 36 having a fulcrum connection with the machine base I at 31 (see Fig. 11) so as to be retractable for convenience of threading the tape and when access must be had to the mechanism beneath the work support. From Figs. Hand VIII, it will be further noted that the folder 35 delivers the tape 8' with the retroverted margins M of its folds centeredlin respect to the needle 6 and lapping corresponding narrow edge margins at opposite sides of a body fabric F which is concurrentlydelivered to the machine; with the doubled portion of the tape projecting outwardly beyond, the

overlap. Before entering the'folder35, the tape,

8 passes through forked guides 38 which impose a. definite amount of drag to keep it taut.

Except as hereinafter definitely pointed out,

' the feeding mechanism of the machine resembles that of U. 5. Patent No. 1,884,489, granted to F.

F. Zeier on October 25, 1932. Briefly described, this feeding mechanism comprises a main feed dog 59 and a differential feed dog 49. As shown in Figs.'III and VI, the main feed dog is mounted, witheapacity for lateral adjustment on the end of an arm M which overreaches the main ft I1 and which is pivotally connected at 42 7 end of a horizontal slide rod 48 having guidance for axial reciprocation in spaced lugs 49 projecting outward from one side of the arm 4I. Afflxed to the rod 48 in the interval between the guide lugs 49 is a collar 59 with a lateral projection 5| (Figs; III and IX) which extends outwardly through a longitudinal slot 52 in the arm H and which engages between a pair of guide plates 53 secured to the opposite side of said arm, so that the rod 48 is held against rotation during its reciprocations. Upand down or lift movements are imparted to the main and differential feed dogs 39 and 49 by virtue of connection of an underreaching extremity 55 of the arm 4I, through a pendant link 56 to an eccentric 51 on the main shaft II. The main and differential feed dogs 39 and 49 derive their horizontal to and fro or feeding movements in turn from a crank 58 at the front end of' the main shaft II.

whereof the curvature is substantially concentric with the pivot center 62 of the link 63 when the feed dogs 39, 49 are in elevated or active position, said slot being engaged by a screw bolt 61 which extends through it and throu'ghthe extremities of the bifurcated end of the link 63, see Fig. III. By moving the bolt 61 up and down in the arcuate slot 65a of the plate 65, it will be evident that the feed movement imparted to the differential feed dog 49 may be either increased or decreased with respect to that of the main feed dog 39,.

In order to adapt a sewing'machine of the character described up to this point to the purposes of my invention, I have 'made provisions as follows:

As shown in Figs. IV and VIII, the main feed dog 39 is formed with a relatively long row of teeth 39a which project upwardly through a slot 68 in the throat-plate 8 at the left of the needle hole I so as to upwardly engage the body fabric F- inward of the overlap between the said fabric and the tape S. The main feed dog 39 is moreover formed with a short row of teeth 39b which project upwardly through another opening 69 in the throat plate 8 rearward of the needle hole 1 with respect to the direction of feeding andwhich is adapted to engage the work from beneath at the overlap between the'body fabric F and the tape S. The portion 89b of the main presser foot 39, it will be noted from Figs. III and VIII is opposed from above by the presser foot 38 whereof the width corresponds substantially to that of the overlap between the fabric F and the tape S. The differential dog 49 has but a single row of teeth 49a which project up'wardly through the opening 68 of the throat plate 6 ahead of the portion 39a'of the main feed dog 39 engage only the body fabric from beneath inward 'of the overlap between the latter'and the tape S. The differential feed dog 48 is opposed in its action by an auxiliary presser foot portion 18 which engages the fabric F from aboveand which lies directly adjacent the main presser foot 33 to the left of the needle 8 as shown in Fig. II. The

auxiliary presser foot 18 is pivotally connected at 1| to one side of the shank 33a of the main presser foot 33 and is subject to the downward pressure of a relatively light spring 12, see Fig. VI.

The means which I have devised for varying 10 the feed stroke of the differential feed dog 48 includes a shaft 13 which is journaled in another bearing 15 on the base I of the machine as shown in Figs. III and VI.- Affixed to the inner end of the shaft 13 is an arm 18 whereto 15 connected at 18 to a parallel arm 88 on a rock 20 shaft 8I joumaled in the bearing 15 directly below the shaft 13; To the outer end of the shaft 13 is secured a lug 82 having a horizontal projection 82a. engaged by one end of a torsion spring 83 which is coiled about the shaft 13 and which has its other end anchored to a stud 85 on the bearing 15. The spring 83 induces counter-clockwise rotation in the shaft 13 and thereby tends to urge the bolt 81 downwardly of the arcuate slot 85a in the plate 85 on the rocker 43. The lug 82 just referred to also has a pendant projection 82b tapped to receive the shank of a clamp screw 88 which passes through an arcuate slot 81a in a finger 81 at the outer end of the shaft 13 and which serves as a means for adjustably securing said lug to said finger. Under the action of the spring 83, theflnger-81 is yieldingly maintained in contact with the inner end of an adjusting stem 88 which threadedly engages a bracket 88 secured by screws 88, to Q the base I and which extends outwardly from beneath the work support 2 to a point beyond the pendant flange 2a of said work support at the front of the machine where it is fitted with a manipulating knob 8|. A leaf spring finger 82 secured to the bracket 88 cooperates with a circumferentially grooved collar 83 on the stem 88' to prevent accidental displacement of 'the latter in adjusted positions. The auxiliary feeding means which I have provided for assisting the feeding means just de-. scribed in progressing the work on the work support 2 includes a circumferentially-toothed wheel 85, which, as shown in Figs. II and VIII is positioned immediately inward of and to the right of the main presser foot 33'so as to engage the free extended portion of the tape S from above, the axis of said wheel being substantially in the plane of the needle 8, that is to say, just slightly in advance of the needle in the direction of feed- 50 ing. As shown in Figs. 11 and IX, the wheel 85 is affixed to a short shaft 88 journaled in a bearing member 88a which is secured by headed screws 88b to a horizontal arm 81 pivotally connected at 88 to the shank 33a of the main presser 5 foot 33 at the side opposite that occupied by the supplemental presser foot 18. The shanks of the screws 88b, it will be noted, pass through slots 1 81min the arm 81 so that the wheel 85 can be pos'itionally adjusted in the line of feeding. The 7 arm 81 has a tail portion 88 with a longitudinal groove I88 in one of its lateral edges engaged by acircumferential flange mm on an adjusting sc'rew I8I which is threaded into the head of a stud I82 free to rotate in a rearward projection I83 on the presser foot shank 33a. By virtue of this arrangement, the arni 81 may be shifted about the pivot 88 to adjust the wheel 85 up and down relative to the bottom of the main presser foot 33. As shown in Figs. VIII and IX. the wheel 85 is opposed by a non-rotative element in the form of a flexible tongue I85 of sheet metal, which, see Fig. IV, engages the extended portion of the tape S from beneath, said tongue'lying adjacent the portion 38b of the feed dog 38 and being secured at one end to the throat plate 8 by screws I88 so that it may move up and down within a clearance r'ecess I81 in said throat plate. Upward movement of the tongue I85 is limited by coaction of its downwardly curved and retroverted end projections Mic with theunderside of the contiguous edge I88 of the throat plate. The wheel 85 is intermittently rotated in timed relation with the movements of the feed dogs 38, 48 by mechanism comprising a roller clutch I88 which is mounted on a horizontal shaft H8 whereof the ends are journaled in a bearing bracket I'H aifixed to the top of the work 'support 2. The clutch I88 (Figs. II and VII) may be of any well known construction, and, as shown, is'operated from an eccentric H2 on the main shaft l1 through a horizontal link rod H3, the

-outer end of the link rod engaging a ball stud is a spur gear H1 which meshes with a spur pinion H8 on a short shaft I I8 journaled on a supplemental bracket I28 attached to the bearing bracket III. A pair of universal joint connections, I2I, I22, serve to couple the short shaft H8 of the pinion H8 directly with the shaft 88 ofthe feeding wheel 85,'so that said wheel may rise and fall with, the presser foot 33 without attendant interruption in its intermittent rotative movements during feeding. A protecting shield of sheet metal is placed over the feed wheel driving mechanism, said shield being made in two sections I23, I24, which are separately secured, by screws I25, I28, to the machine frame.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that in view of my improved construction, the work will be uniformly and positively progressed in the sewing machine, since, in being fed, it is engaged not only in the region of the. overlap between the body fabric and the stay tape by the portion 38b of the main feed dog 38, but at opposite sides of the overlap respectively by the portion 38a of said main feed dog, and the wheel 85. excess movement or overthrow of the latter during high speed operation of the machine being precluded through interposition between it and its actuator of the gearing H1, H8. At the same time, the stretch of the body fabric is taken up by the cooperative action of the differential feed dog 48, which, through manipulation of the regulating stem 88 can be controlled while the machine is in operation, with consequent avoidance of any distortion or irregularity in the finished seam. Again, the chances of skewing or twisting of the work during the retractive strokes of the feed dogs 38 and 48 are nullified by reason of the fact that it is held down at one side of :the needle 6 at the point of stitch formation (the wheel being substantially in the lateral plane of the needle as hereinbefore pointed out) and by the supplemental presser foot atthe opposite side, while the main presser foot 33 bears down upon it directly in the line of seaming both for- Having thus described my invention, I claim:

ment to coact with said wheel.

1. In a sewing machine for attaching relatively inelastic tape in partially overlapping relation along an edge of relatively elastic body fabric, a reciprocating needle; and intermittent feeding means for concurrently progressing the tape and the body fabric for penetration by the needle within the width of the overlap, said feeding 2,265,605 A ing, a differential feed dog which, engages the bodyfabric alone inward of the overlap and in advance of the needle, means for operating the means including a main feed dog which engages both the tape and the body fabric rearward of the needle with regard to the direction of feeding, a differential feed dog which engagesthe body fabric alone inward of the overlap and in advance of the needle, means for operating the difierential dog at a different rate than the main feed dog, an auxiliary feeding device which engages the projecting portion of the'tape alone rearward of the needle, a main presser foot to coact with the main feed dog, an independently movable presser foot to coact with the differential feed dog, and an independently movable yielding element to coact with the auxiliary feeding device.

2. In a sewing machine for attaching relatively inelastic tape in partially overlapping relation along an edge of relatively elastic body fabric, a reciprocating needle; and intermittent feeding means for concurrently progressing the tape and the body fabric for penetration by the needle within the width of the overlap, said feeding means including a main feed dog which engages both the tape and the body fabric from beneath rearward of the needle with regard to the direction of feeding, a differential feed dog which engages the body fabricalone from beneath inward of the overlap and in advance of the needle, means for operating the differential dog at a different rate than the main feed dog, rotary feed wheel means which engages the projecting portion of the tape alone from above rearward of the needle, and individually-associated independently-yielding members operable to cause the work to be engaged by said feed dogs and wheel.

3. In a sewing machine for attaching relatively inelastic tape in partially overlapping relation along an dge of relatively elastic body fabric, a reciprocating needle; and intermittent feeding means for concurrently progressing the tape and the body fabric for penetration by the needle within the width of the overlap, said feeding means including a main feed dog which engages both the tape and the body fabric rearward of the needle with regard to the direction of feeding,- a "diiferential feed dog which engages the body fabric alone inward of the overlap and in advance of the needle, means for operating the diflerential dog at a difleren-trate than the main feed dog, independently movable main and auxiliary presser feet to coact respectively with the main and differential feed dogs, a'feed wheel carried by the main' presser foot for engaging and progressing the projecting portion of the tape alone rearward of the needle, and a yielding ele- =4. In a sewing machine for attaching relatively inelastic tape in partially overlapping relation along an edge of relatively elastic body' fabric, a reciprocating needle; and intermittent feeding means for concurrently progressing the tape and the body fabric'for penetration by the-needle within the width of the overlap, said feeding means including a main feed dog which engages both the tape and the bodyfabricrearward of the 'needle with regard to the direction of feed- 5 means whereby the support is secured" to thefeed wheel.

differential dog at a different rate than the mainfeed dog, and a feed wheel which engages the 5. In a sewing machine for attaching relatively, inelastic tape in partially overlapping relation along an edge of relatively elastic body fabric, a reciprocating needle; and intermittent feeding means for concurrently progressing the tape and the body fabric for penetration by the needle within the width of the overlap, said feeding means including a main feed dog which engages both the tape and the body fabric rearward of the needle'with regard to the direction of feeding, a differential feed dog which engages the body fabric alone inward of the overlap and in advance of the needle, means for operating the differential dog at a different rate than the main feed dog, a feed wheel means which engages the projecting portion of the tape alone rearward of the needle, an intermittently rotatedshaft, and a train of intermeshing gears whereby the intermittent movements of the shaft are magnified incident to transmission to the 6. In a sewing machine for attaching relatively inelastic tape in partially overlapping relation along an edge of relatively elastic body fabric, a reciprocating needle; and intermittent feeding means for concurrently progressing the tape and the body fabric for, penetration by the needle within the width of the overlap, said feeding means including a main feed element which engages both the tape and the body fabric rearward of the needle with regard to the direction of feeding, a differential feed element which engages the fabric alone inward of the overlap and in advance of the needle, means for operating the differential feed element at adifferent rate than the first mentioned feed element, an

auxiliary feeding-device which engages" only the projecting portion of the tape, a main presser element to cooperate with the mainfeed element, an independently movable presser element to coact with the differential feed element, and yielding element to an independently movable 'coact with the auxiliary feeding device.

7. A sewing machine according to claim'o'fineluding a guide for guiding the body fabric, and a folder for folding the-tape about its longitudinal median and determining placementof the tape. symmetrically around the edge'of the body fabric with its folds partly'overlapping said edge.

8. A sewing machineaccording to claim. 2,further includinga support for thefe'ed wheel; and

main presser foot with provision for vertical adjustment of the wheel relative to the presser foot as well as adjustment thereof in the direction of feeding. H

9. In a sewing machine stitch forming means; and intermittent feeding means for progressing the work relative to the stitch forming means, including separately actuated feeding elements in excess of two arranged side by side, one of said elements being in the form of a feed wheel, and

the, others in the formof feed dogs, a yielding member for "causing the work to engage the feed wheel, and a pair of separate yielding members for causing the work to be engaged by the respective feed dogs.

10. A sewing machine according to claim 9, including means for individually adjusting the feeding movements of the several feeding elements.

11. A sewing machine according .to claim 9,

wherein certain of the feeding elements engage the work from above and others engage the work from beneath.

1 2. A sewing machine according to claim 9, wherein the stitch forming means includes a needle; and wherein certain of .the feeding elements engage the-work in advance of, the needle with regard to the direction of the feeding, and others engage the work rearward of the needle.

13. In a sewing machine Stitch forming means including a needle; and feeding means for progressing the work relative "to the needle including three separately actuated feeding elements, one in the same plane with the needle in the direction of feeding, and the others respectively at opposite sides" of the needle, two of said elements having the form of feed dogs and the third having the form of a feed wheel, a pair of independently yielding members for causing the work to be engaged by the respective feed dogs, and a separate yielding member for causing the work to engage the feed wheel.

- 14. A sewing machine according to claim 13, wherein the center feeding element and one ofthe other acts upon the work from beneath, and the third one acts upon the work from above.

15. In a sewing machine, stitch forming means including a needle; and feeding means for progressing the work relative to the needle including three separately actuated feeding elements, one in the same plane with the needle in the dirction of feeding, and the others respectively at opposite sides of the needle, the center feeding element and one of the side elements being in the form'of four-motion feed dogs which operate on the work from beneath, and the third element being in the form of an intermittently rotated wheel which operates on the work from above, a pair of independently yielding members for causing the work to be engaged by the respective feed dogs, and a separate yielding member for causing the work to engage the feed wheel. 

